Of Preps and Emo Kids
by clairiana
Summary: Twilight High is diverse. But the most rivalry exists between two cliques the preps and the emos. When the king and queen of each group meets and sparks fly, will the monarchs have to revoke their titles? Or will the kingdom just have to suck it up?
1. Blackout

"Yeah! Go Dusks!"

That expression reverberated off the walls of the gymnasium. It split the eardrums of the emo kids, and the preps screamed even louder.

Namine was among the cheering preps. She loved her team, and she was going to scream for it! In addition, she was screaming for her best friend, Kairi, who was cheerleading on the sidelines.

Namine had wanted to be a cheerleader, but her sports physical had shown that her leg tendons were too weak to withstand the pressure. Ah well, you win some, you lose some.

Kairi waved at Namine with her only hand that didn't have a pom-pom in it, and Namine waved back.

Down on the field, Kairi and Namine's friend Sora was being tackled by a three hundred pound player from the opposing team, the Traverse Town Soldiers. Sora had always loved football, but when they losing 68—7, he had little appreciation for it.

Although she liked to be herself sometimes, Namine was very happy at her current social standpoint. She reigned control over the losers, and was revered by all of her popular peers. It truly was any high school girl's dream.

_What an understatement,_Namine had thought when Kairi had told her this.

"Sora! Kairi!! Yeah!" Namine yelled, and they both grinned.

---

"Almost ready?" a blond emo asked his friends. They were tinkering with the main power to the school as a joke on the preps. It was gonna be so _sweet._

_"_Almost," another emo replied, tousling his sandy blond black streaked hair. "How about you, Olette? Ready?"

A third emo, female, held out a long black wire with her long ebony fingernails.

"Just got to rip this and we're good to go," she said, her green eyes twinkling with malice.

The first emo grinned, revealing his white teeth. His blond hair was spiked to insane perfection, and his eyeliner was caked perfectly. One diamond stud sat in his right ear, and it seemed to glint almost as much as his smile.

He watched as Olette ripped the wire, and sparks flew to the floor. The second emo had a smile playing around his dimpled cheeks, while the blond howled like a wolf.

"Moon out tonight, Roxas?" Olette asked, and the first emo smiled again.

"Nope. No light tonight," Roxas said passionately. "Ready?"

He had his black fingernailed hand poised on the main power switch. His two friends laughed musically, and he turned the switch.

Everything went the promised jet black, and screams could be heard from all around. Roxas cracked up along with his friends, and Olette picked up some of the wires.

"What're you gonna do with those?" the second emo Hayner asked.

"Throw them all over the stadium while you guys perform your end of the year concert," she said matter-of-factly.

Roxas did a double take—_what _had Olette just said?

"Concert? What concert?" he snapped.

She laughed in his face.

"Aww, poor Roxas. Didn't I tell you? You and Hayner are gonna sing for the school!! I brought all your equipment, it's in the stairwell," she said.

Roxas found his way to the stairwell fairly easily (he'd walked around the school in the school many times before) and sure enough, his guitar and Hayner's drum set were under it. He picked up the guitar, and Hayner rolled the drums to the electric room's back door. Olette was keeping watch for electricians and stuff.

They tiptoed into the gymnasium, which was futile since they couldn't be heard anyway, and stood on top of the bleachers. Hayner plugged in the microphone, and Roxas spoke in his spooky voice.

"Hello, juniors," he said ominously. "This is a good friend of yours. Don't worry about the lights; we're just having some technical obscurity. By the way, would you enjoy a rock concert here in the dark?"

A few people screamed, but Hayner laughed and they fell silent.

"Okay then, since there are no objections…" Roxas drawled. "Let's go! We've got two of our favorite rock songs to sing for you."

There was the slightest sprinkling of jabber throughout the crowd, but Roxas nodded to Hayner and they began with a blast.

_Long ago _

_Just like the hearse, you die to get in again_

_We are so far from you_

_Burning on, just like a match you strike to incinerate_

_The lives of everyone you know _

_And what's the worst you take, worst you take_

_From every heart you break, heart you break_

_And like a blade you stain, blade you stain_

_Well, I've been holding on tonight _

_chorus_

_What's the worst that I can say?_

_Things are better if I stay_

_So long and goodnight _

_So long and goodnight _

_Came a time _

_When every star falls_

_Brought you to tears again _

_We are the very hurt you sold _

_And what's the worst you take worst you take_

_From every heart you break heart you break_

_And like a blade you stain, blade you stain_

_Well, I've been holding on tonight_

_chorus_

_**What's the worst that I can say?**_

_**Things are better if I stay **_

_**Can you hear **__**me**___

_**Are you near **__**me**_

_**Can we pretend to leave and then**_

_**We'll meet again, when both our cars collide**_

_So long and goodnight_

_So long and goodnight_

_Well, if you carry on this way _

_Things are better if I stay_

_So long and goodnight_

_So long and goodnight__…_

_What's the worst that I can __say_

_Things are better if I stay _

_So long and goodnight _

_So long and goodnight _

_Well, if you carry on this way_

_Things are better if I stay_

_So long and goodnight _

_So long and goodnight…_

----

"That…" Namine said softly. "That voice…"

Kairi touched her arm, since she could not see her and all.

"What about it? They're just a lot of emo kids."

Namine felt a sudden urge to hit Kairi. But why? She didn't care about emos. They were the lowest society breed. They were rejects.

"Okay," the attractive voice filled the gym again, "Just one more song, guys, then we'll blow this popstand."

Namine gulped. One more song of that voice… what? Why was she… so obsessed with it…?

_Now I know_

_That I can't make you stay_

_But where's your heart?_

_But where's your heart?_

_But where's __your_

_And I know_

_There's nothing I could say_

_To change that part_

_To change that part_

_To change..._

_So many_

_Bright lights, they cast a shadow_

_But can I speak?_

_Well is it hard __understanding_

_I'm incomplete_

_A life that's so demanding_

_I get so weak_

_A love that's so demanding_

_I can't speak_

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home_

_Can you __see_

_My eyes are shining bright_

_Cause I'm out here_

_On the other side_

_Of a jet black hotel mirror_

_And I'm so weak_

_Is it hard __understanding_

_I'm incomplete_

_A love that's so demanding_

_I get weak_

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home_

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home_

_These bright lights have always blinded me_

_These bright lights have always blinded me_

_I say_

_I see you lying next to me_

_With words I thought I'd never speak_

_Awake and unafraid_

_Asleep or dead_

_(How can I see, I see you lying) 'Cause I see you lying next to me_

_(How can I see, I see you lying) With words I thought I'd never speak_

_(How can I see, I see you lying) Awake and unafraid_

_(How can I see, I see you lying) Asleep or dead_

_'Cause I see you lying next to me_

_With words I thought I'd never speak_

_Awake and unafraid_

_Asleep or dead_

_'Cause I see you lying next to me_

_With words I thought I'd never speak_

_Awake and unafraid_

_Asleep or dead_

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_(Or dead)_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home_

_(Or dead)_

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_(Or dead)_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home_

_(Or dead)_

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_(Or dead)_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home__…_

_---_

Roxas unplugged the guitar, and heard Hayner lift his drum nearby. They jumped over the bleachers, onto the ground, and around the corner into the power room. Olette was standing there, looking expectant.

"Well?" she asked as she pulled up the switch and turned the power back on.

"We owned," Hayner said, and Roxas nodded.

"Sweet," she said, her dark brown braids swaying. The two boys flashed big smiles.

Suddenly, Roxas heard the sound of clinking metal. He looked around, and realized, to his horror, that the doorknob was being jingled.

"Open this door!" called a voice that was none other than the principal's. He pounded on the door, and the only option Roxas saw was the window.

"Guys," he said, as loudly as he dared. "Window." They followed his lead, and before you could say goth the three emo kids had jumped out the window into the bushes.

---

Namine sighed as they finished with the game. The Soldiers had won, and they had lost the championship.

She thought of the emo band. Their lyrics were so true, but…

She didn't know who they were anyway. And she was _popular_.

* * *


	2. Searching For Talent

"Namine, are you even listening to me?" Kairi asked. That was the ninth time today that she had had to jog Namine out of la-la land, and she was getting sick of it.

"Sorry, Kai," Namine said, immediately turning her blank expression to a happy one.

But Kairi had known Namine since diapers, and knew exactly all of her tricks.

"Sorry Nami, but I don't find those emo kids all that interesting," she blurted, and then covered her mouth.

Namine swung her blonde head around.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Kairi said quickly, "I just don't like emo kids is all."

"Well neither do I," Namine replied, "I just liked the music."

Kairi rolled her eyes. Emo kids were very moody, and their music was just the same. Why did Namine, of all people, like it?

"Death songs are not cool," Kairi said.

"They're not suicidal," Namine said. "There's nothing in _Helena _or _Famous Last Words _that says anything about death."

Namine was so clueless.

"The songs are weird."

"They're_ deep_."

"What you call deep I call creepy. Besides, how are you so obsessed with these people if you don't even know who they are, Nami?"

That was true. But, not knowing who they were only made Namine think of them more, in truth.

Anyway, it was Saturday afternoon. Kairi and Namine had gone shopping, one of their favorite hobbies.

Another good thing about it was, they could pick out dresses for the Homecoming Dance, even if it were a month off.

They had gotten there five hours before, and it hadn't taken Namine long to find a dress. It was black, with silver and gold horizontal stripes.

Kairi, however, was a different story, and she had a bad day today.

When they had gotten to the mall, Kairi had spilled a mocha latte on her self and sent Namine to go purchase an up to the minute outfit so she wouldn't be burned.

The poor blonde had to run all the way across the food court, through the bathrooms, and through Hot Topic to get the clothing Kairi needed.

Next, Kairi hadn't been able to get out of a particular dress she'd been trying on.

So, she had Namine put her foot on Kairi's back and yank on the zipper.

She yanked it so hard, the entire dress ripped in half and Kairi wound up paying for it.

After that, Kairi hit on the sales clerk, so Namine yelled at her for being dishonest in her relationship to Sora and they were escorted from the mall by two beefy security guards named Biff and Brick.

After sneaking in a back entrance, they found a small store that only stored prom dresses.

Now they were trying them on.

After an awkward silence, Namine spoke again.

"Kai, the mall's closing in fifteen minutes," she said, looking at her watch. "You've got to hurry up."

After Kairi bought a cherry spaghetti-strap thingy, they left the mall.

---

"YEAH!" Roxas said as he ran into the room, waving a vivid ruby piece of paper in his hand.

Hayner and Olette looked up.

Hayner was sitting on a tartan chair in the corner, staring out the window despondently.

Olette had been eating vanilla ice cream and sitting on Roxas's chaise longue.

"What?" Hayner asked, startled.

Roxas shoved the red sheet of paper into his face. Hayner read aloud:

"NOTICE!

_Anyone with ties or contact information _

_To the band who performed during the blackout_

_Please come forth now._

_If we find that you have lied, there will be serious __penalty_

_If you have information on the band_

_Please contact the school at—_

It's a list of school governors," he finished.

Roxas was still grinning. Olette wasn't.

"Why are you so joyful?" she asked.

"Why wouldn't I be? We're renegades!" he exclaimed, high- fiving Hayner as he did so.

"I thought we were already renegades," Hayner protested.

"We are, but this takes it to a new level," Roxas said, stealing Olette's spoon and taking a mouthful of ice cream.

"So… how about a few more concerts?"

The other two grinned.

"Excellent."

---

When they went into school on Monday, Roxas already had the game plan.

Planned.

"Hayner," he said, using the type of tone a general would use to address lesser soldiers. "You go put these flyers up. Everywhere. In the gym, in the halls, even in the bathrooms."

"EVEN THE GIRLS' BATHROOMS?!"

"JUST GO!"

"Okay."

The blond boy picked up the mountain of flyers and ran off down the hall.

Roxas turned to Olette next.

"Go spread the word in the hallway," he told her, "And do it quick. Don't tell them our names."

Olette ran off in the same direction as Hayner.

Roxas, however, had an in school detention in the chorus room, so he would spend the day looking for new talent.

It was an easy job for someone like him, anyway.

He strode down the hall to the choral room, but was stopped when he saw someone in front of it.

It was Kairi Endrosse, the biggest prep in the universe. She had long, straight red hair and big navy eyes. Roxas had to admit, he had always found her beautiful, but he hadn't the slightest clue why she was speaking to him.

"Whaddya want, prep?" he snapped.

Kairi, to Roxas's extreme shock, grabbed his hand.

"Roxas," she said, her eyes widening. "Who performed during the blackout?"

Roxas gulped. Should he tell Kairi, the most beautiful girl in the school, or maybe even the county—about the band?

No.

"I don't know," he said simply.

She let his hand drop.

"Oh."

He arched a brow.

"Why?" Roxas questioned.

"Oh, because my friend Namine loved you guys," Kairi said hastily.

Who was Namine? Roxas had heard her name before… and it sounded so familiar too.

_Namine_.

"Thanks anyway, though. I'll see you around, Roxas," Kairi said as she walked off, her Ugg boots thumping along as she went.

Roxas opened the door to the choral room. There was no one in there but the administrator.

"Is a girl named Namine in your class this period?" he divanched.

"Yes, there are two, Namine Kostolaris and Namine Princeton."

Roxas put a foot up against her piano. This was going to be harder than he thought…

"Thank you."

"Go take your seat in the back, Roxas."

Roxas sighed and made his way to the back of the room. A big blue plastic chair sat there, and he hated it.

"Hello, my friend," he murmured as he sat. "Good to see you."

Hehe.

Roxas was just getting settled when twenty or thirty students began to file in. He looked around th crowd, looking for a familiar face that could be Namine, but there was none.

"Okay class," Mrs. Gainsborough said, "Take out your programs. Today are the solo performances."

The class grumbled despairingly.

"Oh, shut up and get out your programs," Mrs. Gainsborough snapped. The class was silent as they pulled out their papers. "Yes, Namine?"

A tiny blonde girl in the back row had her hand raised. Her golden hair was tucked over one shoulder, and her huge sapphire eyes shimmered.

"I was just wondering… may I go first?" she asked shyly.

"Mrs. Gainsborough looked surprised for some reason.

"Yes, dear," she said, almost at once. "And… Roxas?"

Roxas looked up. Why was the teacher addressing him?

"What?" he asked.

"Can you rate the students' performances for me? I'd do it myself, but I have paperwork to do."

"Uh, sure."

He took the teacher's place at the piano. He had had some prior experience with the keyed instrument, but was not an _expert _or anything.

"Uh… Namine… your turn," he said to the beautiful blonde girl.

She looked up at him, and smiled happily. She stood in front of the piano. Roxas looked at her, and her grin widened. Why was a prep so happy with him?

"Do you know… Clocks, by Coldplay?" she asked bashfully, going red.

Roxas knew that song.

"Yeah, want me to play it?" he asked, poising his fingers on the keys.

"Please," she said warily.

Roxas began to play the song, a slow but beautiful tune. Namine grinned and her voice sang through the room.

_The lights go out and I can't be saved_

_the__ Tide__s that I tried to swim against,_

_Have__, brought me down upon my knees_

_Oh I beg, I beg, and plead, singin__g._

Roxas gasped, but hoped no one could hear. She had the prettiest voice..

_Come out with things unsaid_

_Shoot an apple off my head_

_An__d a trouble that can't be named_

_And tigers waiting to be tamed, singing__You__ are_

_You are_

_Confusion that never stop_

_The c__losing walls and ticking clocks_

_gonna__, Come back and take you home_

_I could not stop that you now know, __singing.__Come out upon my seas_

_the__ Cursed missed opportunities _

_Am I a part of the cure?_

_Or am I part of the disease, singing__You__ are_

_You are_

_You are_

_You are__And__ nothing else compares_

_And nothing else compares_

_And__ nothing else compares__You__ are_

_You are__Home, where I wanted to go[home_

_Home, where I wanted to go[home_

_Home, (you...__)where__ I wanted to go[home (...are)_

_Home, (you...__)where__ I wanted to go, (...are)_

She finished, and Roxas saw the choral teacher clapping with great gusto.

"My, my! Namine! That was amazing!" she exclaimed, and Namine quivered with delight.

"Thank you," she said simply, and took her seat in the back. Roxas kept his eyes on her for the entire period, and then watched her when she left.

He had found the right kind of talent that the band wanted.

---


	3. Pain and Project

Roxas left the choral room, scanning the crowd with his eyes for Namine.

But she was nowhere to be found.

He saw Hayner and Olette, handing out flyers, but no little blonde.

"Darn, Namine."

Roxas was just about to give up when her saw Kairi talking nearby with a pack of friends.

She was giggling and ferreting along, and for once Roxas wished she was alone.

"Kairi?" he said.

All the giggling and talking stopped abruptly.

All of Kairi's friends were looking at him.

There was a dirty-blonde one with green eyes, a short one with black hair and eyes, and one with silver hair and scarlet eyes.

They were all staring at him.

Oh, and they were staring without blinking.

"Yes, Roxas?" Kairi asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Look, do you know where Namine is?" he asked.

Kairi's hand fell off her hair to her hip.

"Yeah, she went over to her friend Sora's house to get help on the science project," she said, and a lot of her friends giggled.

What was the deal with them?

"But you're welcome to hang out with me, yeah," she said, grinning.

Roxas stepped back.

That wasn't what he had been insinuating.

A lump formed in his throat; it was the feeling that he wouldn't be able to get out of this.

"Uh, sure," an inner part of him blurted.

Kairi's eyes glinted, and her friends started to whisper.

"And… who's this Sora girl?" Roxas asked.

Kairi's friends busted out laughing, and Kairi sniggered.

"Sora's a _guy_," she said fervently. "A quarterback."

So Namine was at a quarterback's house.

Roxas was sure she'd rather hang out with a hot well-liked guy than sing in a punk band with a bunch of wannabes.

"See you later, Roxas. Here's my number," Kairi said, handing him a card. Roxas put it in his pocket absentmindedly.

He didn't listen to her friends' words as they hurried away:

"He's so cute, even for an emo!"

"Oh my _gosh_Kai! You're so lucky!"

"Better make sure you claim him before someone else takes him."

But Kairi had a feeling that Roxas had his eyes on someone else anyway.

And she was very sure she was going to put an end to it.

---

"Hey Roxas!"

_Please tell me it's not Kairi._

In relief, Roxas realized it was Olette.

She was standing behind him, holding a stack of papers.

Roxas looked wonderingly at the papers, and she was quick to explain.

"These are letters from the people who want to join the band!" she smiled, and thrust them into his arms.

"Thanks," he said.

"Don't delay, read them to me," she said, and Roxas obliged with the first letter.

_**Dear BlackOut,**_

_**I really liked your performance last Friday! **_

_**Me**__** and my best friend were among the loudest cheerers. She wants to join your band really badly! She's really good at bass, and she isn't a bad singer either!**_

_**Please call her!**_

_**Yuna, friend of Rikku**_

"Huh," Roxas said. "BlackOut."

"Yeah. It sorta became a common name around school." Olette said simply, putting her hand behind her neck.

"Word sure travels fast, huh?"

"Sure does. Next letter."

_**BlackOut,**_

_**My name is Namine. I loved your songs, even though my friends weren't too nuts about it. They stink.**_

_**I'm in chorus, and have an okay singing voice to be frank. I would like to be in the band, if that's okay!**_

_**Your friend,**_

_**Namine**_

Namine wanted to be in the band.

"Hey. She's in my History class," Olette said.

Roxas looked up at her.

"What's she like?" he asked, dying for more info on Namine.

"She's really good-looking, smart, and calm," Olette explained, looking at a nearby locker. "I only talked to her once, and she's charming."

Roxas grinned. That was what he remembered about Namine.

"And, she had a really good singing voice today in chorus," he said. Olette fiddled with her fingernails.

She looked slightly down about something.

"What's wrong, Let?" he asked, using the band's nickname for her. She turned toward the locker in an attempt to hide her face from him; he put a hand on her shoulder. "Let?"

She trembled in his company. Roxas realized that her shoulder was icy cold. Her usually tan face looked whitish.

A short sigh issued from her mouth.

"You can't tell me?" he asked calmly. She shook her head, and one of her braids delicately hit his palm.

"No," she said. "I can't, Roxas. I want to tell you most of all, since Hayner wouldn't…"

"Understand," Roxas finished.

They stood there for a moment, in silent thought. Roxas really wanted to know what was wrong with her, but she obviously didn't want to say it.

"School's letting out," Roxas said finally, and she pulled his hand off of her shoulder.

Picking up her backpack, Olette slowly walked to the exit. A beam of light hit her green eyes, and Roxas saw deep sadness reflecting in them. He followed her outside, past the fountain. She turned to look at him, finally, when they reached the woods.

"Roxas," she said quietly.

"Yeah?" he replied.

As Roxas waited for her answer, he saw a waterfall of tears fall over her face. She ran forward, and hugged Roxas closely. She put her arms around him as she sobbed.

"Let…" he said.

"I…" she said. "I…"

"Yes?" Roxas asked.

"I'm dying," she weeped.

Roxas's throat went dry. His nervous system seemed to lock up.

"Dying… Let, is this a joke?" he asked, although involuntary tears were rolling.

"No. There's… no way to… cure it," she said.

Olette was dying. Roxas began to sob with her, uncontrollably. His eyeliner was all smudged now, but…

"I'm sorry, Let," he said sorrowfully. "If there's anything… I can do at all…"

"No, Roxas," she said. "There's nothing. Let's go home now."

She broke away from him. Roxas was stunned at how she was reacting to all of this.

They made their way through the woods, past the old mansion, though the Tram Common, and over to Roxas's house. His mom took Olette home, and Roxas collapsed over onto his bed.

_What did Olette do to deserve anything like this? _He asked himself, as the sobs heaved on like a train wreck.

Pain. That was the only emotion Roxas felt rght now. He curled up into a ball under his sheets, and tried to sleep.

---

"So how's Kairi?" Sora asked, munching down on a cookie. Namine shrugged simply, reaching for one too.

"I dunno, same as always I guess."

He ate another cookie.

"So," he said, "What do you want to do for the science project?"

"Mm-hm," Namine said, through a mouthful of cookie.

"How about… molecules?" she said when she was done.

"Like atoms and all that crap?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Boh-ring. Pick something else."

"Uh… reproduction?"

"We're not in health class. Next."

"Food processing?"

"Garbage."

"Human anatomy."

"Grey's Anatomy."

"I give up, Sor."

Namine threw up her arms in defeat.

"Well, obviously we can't think of anything good. So… let's just wing it."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Wing it?"

"Yeah."

"How about we use the Internet?" he suggested.

Namine ran a had through her blonde hair, looking thoughtful.

"You know, that just might work."

The two friends got a computer and came up with a subject to study: cells. It took four hours to find a good site, and then it took forever to get info.

Finally, Namine left, feeling somewhat accomplished.

---


	4. Confusion?

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

The front door creaked open, revealing the tiny blonde Namine. She was wearing a black jumpsuit, and her blonde hair was messy. Maybe she'd just gotten up.

"Hi there," she said to Roxas. He just stood there, and after a while she raised and eyebrow. Roxas tried to draw attention off him as he pulled something out of his pocket. She took it; it was the note she had given to that Olette girl a few days ago.

"Ah… you said you wanted to join BlackOut?" he asked, scratching his head. She nodded, but looked curious.

"I do, yes. I think I've seen you before, also." She had.

Roxas grinned, remembering fondly.

"I sat at the piano the other day while you sang _Clocks. _I think you were really good," he replied, and put a hand in his pocket. "But that's not just my opinion. My friends think so too."

Namine's eyes widened.

"Oh! That was you? Gosh, thanks!" she exclaimed. "So what do I have to do?"

Huh. That wasn't something Roxas had thought out, exactly.

"Err… nothing, I guess, Namine. As far as I'm concerned, you're in the band."

She smiled from ear to ear, and even the hard-headed Roxas found her appealing.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!!!" she exclaimed. Roxas nodded, going red.

She shut her door.

"Eh," Roxas said. "That was interesting…"

What should he do now? Maybe he should go see Hayner…

After going to eat, Roxas strode down the familiar street that belonged to Hayner. It was strangely empty.

He climbed Hayner's porch. The lights were off in the house.

"Hayner!" he called to the open window. He heard a crash, then some footsteps. Finally, the door swung open.

There stood Hayner, looking blank. His eyes were pale as his face, and his hair looked dry and lack-luster.

"Hayner?" he asked.

Hayner looked at him, his blank expression not changing.

"Did Olette tell you yet?" he asked dully.

"Yeah," Roxas replied.

Hayner's bottom lip quivered slightly. It looked as though he wanted to say something, but…

"Did she tell you how long it would be… until?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "No. Did she tell _you?"_

Hayner nodded simply.

"Yeah."

Roxas put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, how long?"

"A month."

Roxas's throat dried up. Olette only had a month to live…

"Thanks, Hay."

Hayner nodded.

"Today's the parade. Olette's going, we should be out having fun," he mused.

By one look at Hayner, Roxas could tell that he was in no mood for fun.

"Right. I'll be there," he promised. "See you soon."

Hayner shut his door.

"Everybody's closing doors on me today," Roxas sighed, shaking his head.

Well, the carnival was being held from the top of Station Heights through Station Plaza and at the sandlot. He was at least two blocks from there, so he'd better get a move on.

He took a bit of time to buy some ice cream, then made his way to Station Heights. It was very crowded out there, but it was easy to pick out Olette in the crowd.

"Let!" he exclaimed.

She swung her head around immediately at the sight of him, and smiled warmly as she walked toward him.

"Hi, Roxas. You made it."

"Yep. Hayner told me…" he broke off.

"Yeah. Let's not talk about it now," she insisted. "Hey, I saw Kairi earlier. She was looking for you."

Roxas groaned. Bringing Kairi into the conversation was something he was starting to enjoy less and less.

"Aahh, really?" he asked anyway, "Well, I'll look for her."

Olette raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious?"

"Ha-ha, no."

"I figured as much. Either way, did you see Namine this morning?" she asked.

Namine, good subjects change at last.

"Oh, yeah, I gave her a spot in BlackOut. She'll sing," he explained.

"She's here, y'know, so, why don't you say hi to her or something?" Olette asked her green eyes grinning along with her mouth.

"Sure," Roxas said, in bright contrast to what he'd said about Kairi.

Olette grabbed his wrist and led him around until she caught a glimpse of the blonde girl, wearing a white sundress. She was drinking punch and laughing along with her dirty-blonde friend.

"Namine!" Olette said, causing the blonde to turn around.

"Oh, hi… Olette," Namine said, sounding a bit shocked at being addressed by someone she barely knew. Her ocean eyes lingered for a moment, but they brightened when they turned to Roxas.

"Hello, Roxas," she said politely.

"H-Hi," Roxas said mistily, unable to control his emotions.

"So, how's BlackOut doing?" Namine asked simply. He shrugged.

"Same as usual, no real change."

"Ah."

Olette stood and watched for a minute, but then the dirty-blonde girl broke the silence.

"Hey, Olette?" she said, and the brunette looked over. "Um, a friend of mine wanted to meet you. That okay?"

Olette nodded, but Roxas could see uncertainty in her eyes. As she was led away, he gave her a look.

She looked back as to say, _It'll__ be all right._

He looked back at Namine, who was smiling jovially.

"Your girlfriend is so sweet," she said affectionately.

Roxas's eyes widened and he felt the sudden urge to laugh, and he basically did as he spoke.'

"Let? Oh gosh, no. No, she's just my friend," he chuckled.

Namine went bright red.

"Oh, whoops, sorry."

"It's alright, it's just…" he laughed, "Yeah, she is nice."

Namine nodded.

"Mm-hm."

They stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Roxas felt anxious; what if one of her preppy friends walked by and saw them together? He couldn't do that to her reputation…

Speak of the devil.

At that precise moment, a particular redhead walked up in a pink dress.

"Hi, Roxas," she said brightly, then turned to Namine. "Nami, Sora wants to see you."

Namine nodded, and strode away. Roxas craned his head to see her through the crowd; but there were just too many people there.

Kairi, however, stood next to him.

"Hey," she said. "Wanna go get some shish kebabs?"

Roxas nodded absentmindedly.

All day long, Roxas allowed Kairi to bring him everywhere. He knew by looking at her that he was on her mind, and maybe she thought she was on his.

But the only one on Roxas's mind was the blonde girl with the amazing voice, and the haunting oceanic eyes.

* * *


	5. Doritos

----

A lone bird flew overhead as Roxas ate his sandwich, sitting on a park bench.

Today, BlackOut was supposed to have its unveiling at a rec center, but he needed some alone time first.

Namine was going to be singing, with Roxas in the background.

It was going to be so sweet. Olette was going to handle the technology.

He was contemplating the band's thoughts when Namine rolled up on her bike.

She was wearing a pink sundress, and looked quizzically at Roxas.

"Hi, Roxas," she said.

"Hey," Roxas said. She was just sitting there, lips pursed.

"Hey, what song am I singing again?"

"The one Hayner gave you the lyrics for," Roxas said as he made to shove his unfinished sandwich in the trash.

"No!" Namine exclaimed.

"Hunh?" Roxas said, turning back around.

"I mean, can I have that? I didn't exactly eat today," Namine said, fumbling with her fingernails.

Roxas looked at the sandwich in his gloved hand. It was starting to drip on the sidewalk.

"Uh… if you really want it," he mused. Namine nodded.

Roxas took one last bite of the delicious morsel and handed it to his fair friend.

She gobbled it down, then smiled, a jelly moustache forming.

"Thanks!" she said, then pedaled over.

Roxas picked up his backpack up off the bench, and threw it unceremoniously to the ground. Namine sat next to him.

To anyone walking by, Roxas and Namine would look strange together. A depressed-looking teenage boy in black, and a brightly happy girl in pink.

"I brought some chips, if you want some," he suggested.

"Please." Namine smiled.

Roxas reached into his backpack, and pulled out a bag of Doritos. He pulled it open, and a puffy cloud of orange filled the air.

He took out a chip, and crunched it as loud as possible. Namine giggled, and then did the same.

"Whaddya say we make this a contest, eh Roxas?" Namine asked.

Roxas nodded, then took his next chip.

---

_What are they doing together? _Kairi asked herself as she drove by in her convertible.

Roxas and Namine were sitting on a bench together, sharing a bag of chips and looking happy as larks. What was up?

Kairi got out of her seat and slammed the door, as loud as she dared.

She made her way over to the bench, but Roxas and Namine didn't even look up.

"Hey, Roxas," she said smoothly, and Roxas turned his eyes to her.

"Oh, hi Kairi," he said. "Wanna eat with us?"

"Oh, sure, Roxas. I'd love to eat chips with _you,"_ she said.

Namine looked over at Roxas. He was watching Kairi more intently than he had looked over at her. It was so… what? What was going on with her?

"Oh," Roxas said, holding up the empty bag. "That's it, I guess."

"Do you have anything else?" Namine asked, knowing that he did not. She just wanted to infuriate Kairi.

"No. You know, the only thing I had was the sandwich we shared earlier, Namine."

Kairi raised an auburn brow.

"How long have you two been here?" she asked.

"About a half hour," Roxas replied. "Wanna sit with us?"

Namine got up slowly, and pushed up the brake on her bike. She mounted it.

"Actually, uh," she said as she put her feet on the pedals, "I was just leaving. I'll see you tonight, Roxas."

As Namine peddled off, Kairi's brain veered into the blonde girl's last sentence.

_I'll see you tonight, Roxas._

"Huh. Do you and Namine have like, a date, Roxas?" she asked, before she could stop herself.

"Uh… I dunno, I guess you could put it that way. We're gonna be together, if that's whatcha mean."

Grr.

"Well," Kairi's brain was hatching ideas fast, "Namine said she had to go to Sora's house today."

Roxas's brain recognized the name.

_Sora._

The guy he had originally thought was a girl. Namine was going to Sora's again. Ugh.

"Hm," was that all he could say?

"Hm… what?" Kairi asked. All of her ideas were clicking into play.

"Nothing," Roxas said. "Look Kairi, I gotta go, get ready and all."

For his _date, _with Namine.

"Kay. Can I give you a ride?" she asked, her azure eyes studying his face for clues.

"Um… I guess," Roxas said. Hey, if Namine could go to Sora's…

He sidled into the pink seat, trying not to look too closely at it.

Kairi played some prep song at top volume as Roxas tried not to puke. Finally, they pulled into his neighborhood.

"I live here too, y'know," Kairi said, turning the volume down as little as possible. Roxas looked at every house, until his finally appeared on the horizon. He left the pink car.

"Au revoir," Kairi called.

"Auf Wiedersehen," Roxas called as he shut his door. He made his way upstairs, making no noise.

His outfit for the concert was laid out on the bed: a ripped black T, some black Levi's, and a lot of accessory stuff.

It was going to be so awesome… but if Kairi appeared the outfit would be the least of his issues.

"Oi," Roxas said as he laid down. A fly buzzed around.

Roxas didn't even have the energy to swat it.

---

"Ah… where's Roxas?" Hayner asked.

"I don't know," said Namine, getting a bit worried. Maybe she should tell Hayner about Kairi showing up at the park… She decided against that point.

They all looked great, anyway. Hayner was in all black leather, and temporary black hair dye graced his hair.

Namine was in a purple sheaf dress with fishnet armlets and tights, and her hair was pulled up high.

Olette wore a plain black dress, but had her hair down today, and it looked really pretty.

"Urgh! Rox! Ahhh!" Olette exclaimed, then pounded her fist on the table.

"Calm down, Olette," Hayner said. She tensed less, but was still hyper mad.

Namine glanced at the clock. Roxas was fifteen minutes late, and they were on in five; he needed to hurry up and get his butt over here.

"C'mon, Rox," she said.

After a few more minutes of amger and fist banging (Olette, Hayner) Roxas burst through the door looking flustered.

"Roxas!" everyone yelled in unison.

"Relax, relax," Roxas said, "We're on."

They made their way out to the stage, butterflies in their stomachs. Olette grinned and waved goodbye, but they still felt really uneasy.

Then… the lights went out.

BlackOut was starting.

---


	6. Concert

Roxas gulped. He hadn't been near all of these people. There were more people here right now that there had been at the game.

"Uh," he said, a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek. He felt a sudden urge to

_**Roxas:**__****_

_I wanted you to know that_

_I love the way you laugh_

_I wanna hold you h__igh and steal your pain away..._

_I keep your photograph and_

_I know it serves me well_

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

_Cause im broken when im lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away__You__ gone away, you don't feel me here, anymore__**Namine:**__****_

_**The worst is over now **_

_**And we can breathe again**_

_**I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away**_

_**There's so much left to learn**_

_**And no one left to fight**_

_**I wanna hold you high and steal your pain**__****__****__**Because**__** I'm broken when I'm open **_

_**And I don't feel like I am strong enough**_

_**Because I'm broken when I'm lonesome **_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone away**_

**Thre**** were a few moments of silence while Roxas had a solo, and it was quiet, but then**

_**Both**____****__**Because I'm broken when I'm open **_

_**And I don't feel like I am strong enough**_

_**Because I'm broken when I'm lonesome**_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone away...**__****__**Cause I'm Broken when I'm lonesome**_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone...**_

_**You gone away, you don't feel me here anymore**__**…**_

The crowd was on its feet (Roxas knew, even though he couldn't see it) and they were a big hit. Namine was cheering from beside him.

"You've got another song comin', BlackOut fans!" he yelled, and the cheering intensified.

"Namine," Roxas said, "Hit those notes."

He strummed the cords, and she began as Hayner drummed.

_**Namine:**_

_**I'm in the business of **__**misery;**__** let's take it from the top**_

_**She's got a body like an hourglass it's ticking like a clock**_

_**It's a matter of time before we all run out...**_

_**When I thought he was mine, she caught him by the mouth**_

_**I waited eight long months**_

_**She finally set him free**_

_**I told him I can't **__**lie**__**, he was the only one for me**_

_**Two weeks and we had caught on fire**_

_**She's got it out for me, but I wear the biggest smile**_

_**Whoa... I never meant to brag**_

_**But I got him where I want him now**_

_**Whoa... it was never my intention to brag**_

_**To steal it all away from you now**_

_**But does**__** it feel so good**_

_**'Cause I got him where I want him now**_

_**And if you could then you know you would**_

_**'Cause it**__** just feels so...**_

_**It just feels so good**_

_**Second chances they don't ever matter, people never change**_

_**Once something more, you're nothing more, I'm sorry that'll never change**_

_**And about forgiveness, we're both supposed to, have exchanged**_

_**I'm sorry honey, but I'm passing up, now look this way!**_

_**Well **__**there's**__** a million other girls who do it just like you**_

_**Looking as innocent as possible to get to **__**who**_

_**They want and what they like, it's easy if you do it right**_

_**Well I refuse, I refuse, **__**I**__** refuse!**_

_**Whoa... Well I never meant to brag**_

_**But I got him where I want him now**_

_**Whoa... it was never my intention to brag**_

_**To steal it all away from you now**_

_**But does it feel so good**_

_**'Cause I got him where I want him right now**_

_**And if you could then you know you would**_

_**'Cause it just feels so...**_

_**It just feels so **__**good ...**_

_**I watched his wildest dreams come true**_

_**Not one of them involving you**_

_**Just watch my wildest dreams come true**_

_**Not one of them **__**involving ...**_

_**Whoa**__**,I**__** never meant to brag**_

_**But I got him where I want him **__**now ...**_

_**Whoa...I never meant to brag**_

_**But I got him where I want him now**_

_**Whoa... it was never my intention to brag**_

_**To steal it all away from you now**_

_**But**__** does it feel so good**_

_**'Cause I got him where I want him now**_

_**'Cause**__** it just feels so...**_

_**It just feels so good**_

Roxas was among the loudest cheerers. Namine was laughing so loud by the time she finished.

"I did it! It did it!" she kept yelling.

"Yeah, you did!" Roxas agreed. "Switch on the lights!"

Bursts of rays filled the auditorium. BlackOut was illuminated. They saw Namine and Roxas at the microphones, and Hayner at the drums.

"YEAH! BLACKOUT!" everyone kept screaming.

It reminded Roxas of the omecoming game (Go Dusks!) and a feeling of nostalgia washed over him. Olette hadn't been sick then… or had she? Had she been keeping it from them? Probably so. But he wasn't so upset about that; if he had had a deadly disease, he would've kept it to himself as well as she had done.

Namine had disappeared from the stage. Roxas signed a few autographs and went chasing after her.

"Namine!" he called as soon as he had reached the big hallway. She was walking next to a brunette boy with muscles, and they were talking.

"Nami, you ROCKED!" the boy said.

"Thanks, Sor. I had so much fun," she said, and then Roxas watched as she grabbed the brunette's arm.

"C'mon, Sora! Let's go do something crazy!"

"Like eat cookie dough outta the box?" Sora joked.

"Good idea, but no," Namine said.

"Huh."

Roxas watched as the door slammed right behind them.

"Dude," he said, "I just got dissed!"

He sighed and got himself a Sprite from a nearby concession stand, as he thought about what he'd seen. Sora and Namine were most definitely a couple There was no denying something so obvious.

"Maybe Kairi's not so bad," he told himself.

As he left, he saw Namine and Sora leaving in a blue car. He walked home, his mind heavy with thoughts of Namine and Sora.


	7. Hanging Up

---

"Hi, Roxas," a voice said.

Roxas turned to see Olette in her black leather trench coat.

Her hair was still down, but it looked black because of all the rain in it. It had started to rain around an hour ago, but Roxas had brought an umbrella with him in case such an event happened.

Her face looked paler than ever.

This was a sad thing, for in her healthier days Olette had always been tanned bronze.

She had huge dark circles, and her eyes were bloodshot. There was an air of depression among her too.

"Hey, Let," Roxas said, and held out his umbrella. She took to it gratefully. "How are you feeling?"

"No real change, Roxas," she said simply.

He looked her in the eye. He saw a misery etched into the emerald.

In Roxas's eyes, Olette saw a mixture of many things: Confusion, Anger, and Resentment.

And… could this be?

Was Roxas in love?

They walked to the corner of Tram Common, where Olette lived. She was just a little bit away from the woods that led to Namine's mansion when she spoke to Roxas.

"Roxas?" she whispered.

Roxas had to stoop down to hear her.

"Yeah, Let?" he smiled at her, and she tried to, but it looked like she didn't want to.

"I… can't come to school anymore," she finished. "I'm too weak. It took a lot of work for my mom to let me go to the Homecoming Game, and she almost wouldn't let me go to BlackOut."

Roxas swallowed.

"I can visit you, right Let?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Of course," she said.

They stood there for a moment, Roxas's eyes on the horizon. The setting sun reflected in his tears for Olette.

"Roxas," Olette said again.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"You… did you see Hayner the other day?" she said.

Roxas remembered. Hayner had been blank as a clean whiteboard on that particular encounter.

"Yeah, why Let?"

"It's because…" she said, "I went over there to tell him about it."

"I know," Roxas replied. "He seemed sad."

"Yeah, and you know what else?"

"What?"

Olette looked back out at the horizon, and Roxas guessed she was not feeling too well.

"What else, Let?"

"Hayner told me something."

"Like what?"

"He told me… that he loved me, and if there were a cup with my sickness on it, he'd drink it."

_Romeo and Juliet_, Roxas thought.

"Ultimate sacrifice," he mused.

"Yeah," Olette said this with a certain amount of purity. "I never thought Hayner would be like that. But… that would be something I'd expect from you, Roxas."

Roxas turned to her. "Me?"

"Yes. I never really thought you belonged with the emo kids. You were… kinder than any emo I ever knew."

"Thank you," Roxas said. "Ooh."

He had said "ooh" because the sun had fully set by then. A rainbow had formed over the sky.

"C'mon," he said, and Olette strode next to him, "Let's get you home."

Stowing his umbrella in his bag, Roxas bought them both some watermelon (which was very generous, because it is costly) and took Olette to her house.

They bade hasty goodbyes, and Roxas went home.

"Hi, Roxas," his mother said as soon as he came in the door.

She was a tall woman, with gingery red hair and big ocean eyes that Roxas had inherited. A light brown mole rested beside her mouth, and at the moment she was leaning against the counter.

"Hey, Mom," Roxas said, running a hand through his wet hair.

"I saw the BlackOut. It was so good," she said. "And… who was your singer?"

Roxas raised his brows.

"You mean, Namine Princeton?" he asked.

"Oh, yes sweetie. She was so talented," his mother stated, handing Roxas a sandwich.

"I know," Roxas said, his mouth full. "That's why I hired her."

His mother was quiet and serene, but when next she spoke, her tone was serious.

"Did Olette tell you?" she asked.

"Yes," Roxas said. "About the disease, and about Hayner."

"Hayner?" his mother asked.

"Nothing," Roxas said hastily. "Look, Mom, I've got to go call Namine, okay?"

"Okay."

Roxas put his bag in the hall closet and ran up the stairs.

He truly intended to call Namine, and see what she was up to. And, possibly get some info on _Sora._

_"_Hello?" was her answer.

"Hi," Roxas said.

"Hi. Who's this?" Namine asked.

Roxas groaned.

"C'mon, you just heard my voice for ten minutes straight! It's ROXAS!"

"Oh!!! Hey!!! That sure was awesome!" she screamed.

"Totally."

"And that last line… WHOO!"

"Ha-ha, yeah."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, but then Roxas decided that he should just get straight to the point.

"How's Sora?" he asked recklessly.

Namine was silent for a few seconds.

"Oh, he's… fine. How do you even know him?"

"Oh… I, I don't, it's just… you guys left together and all, so I…"

"Hehe. Yeah," she said, leaving no clues. "We went to go see a movie."

A sudden burst of anger shot up inside Roxas.

"That's cool," he fumed.

"You okay, Roxas? You sound tense," Namine said.

Roxas switched the phone to his left ear and took a breath.

"Yeah, I'm fine, not tense," he said, his tone loosening up a bit. Why was he getting so freaked out about this? He didn't even have the RIGHT to be mad; he barely even knew Namine, and he didn't know Sora at all.

"Ooh! I've got another call! I'll see you tomorrow, Roxas!"

CLICK.

"What just happened?" he asked himself. "I got dissed AGAIN. What's wrong with me today?"

He sank back onto his bed, and shut his eyes. His skull seemed to be pressed down into his brain because of all the stress.

RING. RING.

"Roxas," Roxas answered.

"Hi, Roxas." It was Kairi.

"Hello, Kairi. What are you doing?"

"Watching _Laguna Beach _with Namine and Sora. You?"

Kairi was with Namine and Sora, which meant Kairi and Sora had heard Roxas and Namine's conversation.

"Nothing much."

Roxas heard Namine talking with someone in the background, though it was faint.

_"Ohmygosh!__ What'd you say, Sor? That's bad."_

_"No, it's true. He's like that."_

_"Hehe, ya sure?"_

_"Yeah, totally.__ So, are you coming to my party?"_

_"Most definitely.__ You know I'd never miss your party. It's too important."_

_"Glad you feel that way, Nami."_

Roxas squeezed the found receiver. Namine and Sora had pet names.

"So, Roxas, I'd like to invite you to something."

"Huh?"

"Well, get this. Sora's having a big party tomorrow, and he heard you talking to Namine on the phone. She told him you were friends, and since any friend of Namine's is a friend of Sora's, he told me to call and invite you."

"Me?"

"Duh. So you're coming?"

Roxas looked at a poster on his wall, deep in thought. Should he go to this party and meet Sora?

Either way, Kairi was not one to be refused. So…

"I'll be there," he said.

"Oh, and the theme is Las Vegas."

"Cool."

CLICK.

"IF _one more person hangs up on me…"_

_---_


	8. Introductions

---

"So Rox, when are you going to the prep party?" Hayner asked as he devoured his sandwich.

"Uh, it's at 6:00, why?" Roxas replied, not lifting his eyes off his sheet music.

"Well, I was wondering, why are you even going? I thought you hated Kairi."

"I do, but I'm going to keep an eye on Namine. Apparently she and Sora are going out."

"Well, do you know that for sure?"

"Uh… no, but the meaning was there."

"Ha-ha. So… you have no proof?"

"Why do you think I'm going to the party?"

Hayner put down the empty sandwich plate, grinning. Roxas looked over at him, and raised an eyebrow (which he had dyed black yesterday, along with his hair).

"So, you gonna start a fight with Sora, _compadre_, over that weird prep Namine?"

Roxas's blue eyes stood out more against his hair now, and they looked menacing.

"Don't _**ever**_," he said, tone dripping with venom, "Insult Namine Princeton in front of me."

Hayner backed up away from Roxas, but looked noticeably frightened.

"S-sorry, dude, I… I just think preps are weird, that's all," he stuttered. "I didn't mean to insult her."

"That's what I thought you said," Roxas said woodenly, turning back to the sheet music.

Hayner was looking less afraid now, but he was sitting farther away from Roxas than he had been before.

"So what're you going to wear?" Hayner asked, obviously making conversation.

"Leather or something," Roxas said, scribbling away on the music. "Maybe polyester. Something black and red."

"You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"

"Sure have, because it has to be perfect. If Namine sees me in a great outfit, she'll dump chocolate-head and come my way."

Hayner looked at the ceiling, his brain working quickly.

"Hey, I have an idea! Olette and I can throw something together for you!"

"Olette's sick, Hayner."

"Well, she's not BEDRIDDEN or anything like that. Besides, it'll give her something fun to do."

Roxas's blue eyes circled the room. Olette WAS going to be pretty bored for the next three weeks, and Hayner loved her a lot, and Roxas was her best friend after all, so chances were she would do it.

"All right," Roxas said. "Call her."

"You call her."

"People keep hanging up on me, Hayner!"

"Fine."

Hayner picked up his cell phone, and hit speed-dial number one.

"She's your number one, eh Hayner?" Roxas teased. "Who's number two?"

"You. Olette? Oh, Hi! Yeah, listen, I've got a job for you. No, no. Well, Roxas has a problem. He has nothing to wear for the party. You say—sure! Okay, I'll be over."

CLICK.

"Well, I'm going," Hayner picked up his bag, and swung it over his shoulder.

Roxas sat his sheet music down. It looked pretty good so far, but… there was still something missing…

---

"Nami, you look amazing!"

Namine stood there in her black dress, accompanied by the bright pink Kairi. They were standing at Sora's front door, for he had called them there a few hours early to help get everything ready.

"Thanks Kai, so do you," she said absentmindedly.

Sora opened his door, in a black dress shirt and jeans. He looked pretty good, or maybe it was just because Namine wasn't used to seeing him like this or something.

"Hey ladies," he said, leading them in.

"So… what are we going to do first?" Namine asked immediately. Kairi gave her an annoyed and slightly angry look, but she ignored it.

"Uh, watch TV?" Sora said, turning on the television. "Everything's basically ready anyway."

They sat there forever, watching The Hills, and stuff.

Sora cracked up a lot, Kairi talked on her cell phone to guests, and Namine was basically quiet.

Every time Namine laughed about something in the show, Kairi would shoot her a dirty look. Finally, the doorbell wrang, (breaking the awkward silences) and there stood Selphie Tilmitt. She was wearing a bright yellow dress.

"Hey, Selph," Kairi simpered. "C'mon, come in and hang out with us until some more of the guests come."

Selphie followed them into the living room, looking slightly apprehensive. But when she saw Sora on the couch eating potato chips, she looked noticeably much happier.

"Hey, Sor," she said.

"Hey," he said. "Happy you came?"

"Sure am. I'd never miss your birthday, you know that."

The bell wrang again, and Selphie jumped up to open it. It was Fujin, also known as Fuu, who was a friend of Sora's.

"I'm here," she said calmly, setting her present down on a nearby duvet.

"Good," Selphie said, as Fuu headed for the living room. Almost simultaneously, the bell wrang again.

When she opened it, there stood a tall boy wearing cool-looking black leather. He had huge blue eyes and jet-black hair, and looked pensive.

"Uh," he said. "Is this… Sora's house?"

"Yep. It sure is," Selphie replied happily. "And you are…"

"Roxas."

"HE'S HERE TO SEE ME!" shrieked a voice from the living room. Fast as lightening, Kairi came sprinting in at top speed.

"Hey, Roxas, I didn't think you could come at all, and wow. Your hair… you look so hot! Who did your outfit!?"

"Uh, my friend Olette did," Roxas explained. "She's good with that kind of stuff."

"I see," Kairi said, secretly knowing that Olette was one of those losers Roxas hung out with. "C'mere, I want you to meet some people."

Roxas was dragged to the living room by Kairi. In there were some people he'd seen before: Namine, of course, looking beautiful; Sora (Roxas had to stifle his anger); Fujin, who was in his History class; Selphie, one of Kairi's cronies.

When he saw Namine, she strode over to him, and picked up his hand.

"I knew you would come."

Meanwhile, Kairi was furious.

_Seriously! I invite him to a party, and he treats Namine like she's the star! Well, that won't last very long, ha-ha._

"Yeah. I always go to birthday parties," Roxas said.

This was going to be a birthday party that Roxas would never forget.

---


	9. Twilit Night

---

"And that's why," Sora was saying, "I don't eat dairy anymore."

Roxas was hastily checking his cell phone messages as everyone cracked up at Sora's joke.

**Inbox: 5**

**Unread: 3**

**1****st**** Message, From Olette: Hey, Rox. Just wondering if you were enjoying the party, since Hayner said you were planning on stealing Namine away, and I was wondering if that had happened yet. Call me.**

**2****nd**** Message, From Namine: Hey, Roxas. I was thinking… and are you going to the prom? Because I—**

The message ended in static and a big crackling noise.

"Perfect," he snapped. Everyone looked over at him.

"What's perfect?" Kairi asked, peeking over his shoulder and causing him to snap the phone shut.

"Nothing, I was just, listening to my messages and one of them got cut off." He tried to look innocent.

He looked over at Namine, but she was turned to the wall. Maybe she knew he had heard…

"Well, we're going to play Truth or Dare now," Kairi said matter-of-factly. "Nami, get a bottle, everyone form a circle!"

Roxas watched as everyone scrambled to make a circle. He sat on the right side.

"Kairi?" he asked. She looked over. "Why do we need a bottle again?"

"We pass it, and whoever gets it when the music stops, Sora asks truth or dare," she explained, looking at her cuticles.

Namine sat down on the other side of the circle, with a root-beer bottle. Selphie was standing by the stereo, her finger on the play button.

"GO!" Kairi bellowed, making Roxas jump frightfully, and Fall Out Boy's A Little Less Sixteen Candles began.

The bottle was thrown from person to person, and the music stopped when the bottle landed on… Namine.

"Oh, hehe, it's me!" she said, giggling. "Okay, Sora, ask me!!"

"Truth or dare?"

Namine looked thoughtful, then—

"Dare me, sucker," she said, grinning.

"Okay Nami," he said, looking around the room. "I dare you to… lick the carpet."

Namine's nose crinkled up in disgust.

"The _carpet?_No way, man!" she exclaimed, shaking her head.

"Rules are rules," Sora said, looking defiant but he was smiling too.

"Uh," Namine said, looking at the white carpet. "Are there like, any loopholes in this?"

"I'm pretty sure there are no loopholes, the game is just made that way," Roxas replied.

She gulped, and lowered her head. Roxas watched closely, and realized that she had licked the air just above the carpet.

He decided, that since Namine needed to learn to trust him, he was not going to rat her out.

"Whoo, Nami!" he said. She blushed.

Selphie started the music before he could say anything else, so the bottle was thrown. When the music stopped, it fell right at her feet.

She picked it up, and looked at it reproachfully. Sora had that hilarious look on his face again.

"Truth or dare?" Sora asked, rubbing his hands together.

"Truth," Selphie whispered, her knuckles turning white as she clutched the bottle.

"Okay. Who's the first person that you kissed?" he asked.

Selphie's eyes flew open.

"Um. Well, I guess that would be, a… personal… sort of—RIKU, okay?!!!" she screamed, and turned the music back on as everyone cracked up. It was sort of fun, Roxas had to admit.

Okay, scratch that last—the bottle had reached Roxas. He gulped, knowing Kairi's cerulean eyes were boring at him.

"Truth or dare?" he heard Sora say, but he did not look up or anything. It was embarrassing.

"Dare," he said. Roxas never welched on a dare, no matter how extreme it was.

"O-key, I dare you to…" Sora's blue eyes searched the room. ,"Kiss Nami."

Roxas's jaw dropped. NAMINE!!?? They wanted him to kiss Namine?!! Not that he wasn't please about this, but, c'mon! KISS HER!?!? In front of everyone, too. Well, at least he knew for certain that Sora and Namine were not a couple, but that didn't really help much.

"Ah," he said. "Do I…"

"Yes," Namine said immediately. "You have to."

Roxas was surprised at how fast she answered.

"Um…" he inched slightly closer to her. Before he knew it, he had pecked her quickly on the cheek and it had been done with.

"There," she said. "Now that wasn't so bad, now was it?" she looked happy about it.

Roxas backed off, and sat back in his spot. What.. wow, that was fast.

Namine looked blank throughout the rest of the game, and Kairi looked anxious. But when it ended, Sora clapped his hands and brought them all back earth..

"'Kay, thanks for coming," he said simply, smiling.

"You mean that's IT?" Namine said, shocked. "I thought there would be more to it than that."

"Nope," Sora said. "You can all come back tomorrow, though—my mom told me to wrap it up."

Roxas picked up his black bag from the corner, and Namine got her white one. They looked at each other, and he nodded happily.

The walk home was a simple thing, with the sun setting and the two of them talking about what had happened at the party. It was a lot of fun, too…

It was after an hour of walking that Roxas realized that he had no idea where he was. He looked at Namine for guidance, but she looked bewildered also.

"Have any clue where we are?" she asked vaguely.

"Nope, no clue," he said truthfully. They were out in the middle of a big field, with little dandelions from time to time. It was quite nice, really, but Roxas wanted to get home.

Namine plopped down and picked up a dandelion.

"They say that if you blow on these and make a wish, it'll come true," she said mistily. Roxas watched as she blew the little thing to shreds.

"What did you wish for?" she asked.

"I can't tell you," Roxas said, even though he hadn't really wished.

"Oh. I see." She grinned.

They sat there for a long while, watching as the sun finally set itself.

Beginnings of stars shimmered against the musical coloring, making an affect that dazzled them both.

"Wow," Roxas said as it reflected in his eyes. "Do you…"

Namine looked at him, her smile leaving.

"Namine, do you like… Sora?" he asked her, holding hi bated breath for the much-anticipated answer.

"Sora?" she asked, as if it was the most appalling thing she'd ever heard. "No WAY. I've heard creepy crap before, Roxas but… SORA?! Seriously!"

Roxas looked down at the ground, embarrassed. He shouldn't have asked her in the first place.

"Ah," she said, comprehension dawning on her. "Can I prove it to you?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow, looking slightly deranged.

"Prove it?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Uh, um, how?"

His question lingered in the air for a few seconds, but then she grinned athim again, and like clockwork, her beautiful voice filled the sky.

_"__Woke up early this morning, __made my coffee like I always do_

_Then it hit me from nowhere, eve__rything I feel about me and you_

_The way you make m__e crazy, baby you're so amazing__Seven da__ys and seven nights of thunder_

_The water__s rising and I'm slipping under_

_I think I fell in__ love with the 8th world wonder_

(At this point, Roxas was grinning from ear to ear. Love..)_I guess that I'm just falling deeper i__nto something I've never known_

_But the way that I'm feeling, makes me__ realize that it can't be wrong_

_You're __love's__ like a summ__er rain, washing my doubts away__Seven d__ays and seven nights of thunder_

_The water__'s rising and I'm slipping under_

_I think I fell in love with the 8th world won__der_

_It's only been a__ week, but it's coming over me._

_It's making me belie__ve that you're the one for me_

_Seven da__ys and seven nights of thunder_

_The waters__ rising and I'm slipping under_

_I think I fell in love with the 8th world wonder_

_I think I fell in__ love with the 8th world wonder_

_I think I fell in__ love with the 8th world wonder_

_I think I fell in__ love with the 8th world wonder_

Roxas smile didn't fade away as it usually did, but it stayed planted on his face. His ear stung in the air from the piercing, but did it even matter?

Namine loved him. That was all that mattered.

---


End file.
